White Nile Sugar factory set up in Sudan

The Sudanese government has recently laid the corner stone for the White Nile Sugar Company. The project, including a 200,0000-acre sugar cane plantation and refinery, was set up as a joint Egyptian-L

The Sudanese government has recently laid the corner stone for the White Nile Sugar Company. The project, including a 200,0000-acre sugar cane plantation and refinery, was set up as a joint venture by the Egyptian and Libyan governments, the Arab Agriculture Investment Association and the Sudan Development Authority.

Estimated costs of the project stand at $330 million, and it is designed to produce 300,000 tons of refined sugar, in first phase of operations expected to begin in 2004, reported Al-Hayat. Located on a 320,000 square kilometer area along the Nile river in Sudan’s central White Nile province, the plant is expected to provide 16,000 new job opportunities.

The Sudanese government targets the Eastern and Southern Africa states as destination markets for its anticipated one million ton sugar exports.

Annual consumption of sugar in Sudan itself is projected to rise to 800,000 tons in three years time, from the current level of 500,000 tons. The country's current production stands at 700,000 tons, according to Industry Minister Jalal Yusuf Al-Digair, quoted by AFP. The government runs four state-owned sugar factories. — (MENA Report)